I don't know about anyone else, but to me, Dudley really was pretty much of a creep. He fixed everything, sure, but putting the make on Julia was dirty pool. I suppose we're all supposed to feel sorry for him, and admittedly Julia's marriage was in trouble, but I feel he was a real snake with his actions toward her. I wish Henry WOULD have socked him a good one in the kisser, he deserved it!
shareHello religion anyone? The Devil was an angel. How can you all disbelieve the falling of an angel? Must not have any knowledge of the Bible.
shareIMHO, angels have been through their test and are no longer in danger of temptation. Once we make it through this world, we too will be as incorruptible as the blessed angels or as irredeemable as the damned. Obviously, there are other opinions out there.
shareThe problem for me wasn't the script per se. The problem was Grant's portrayal of Dudley. I don't know how much of the responsibility for this lies with Grant and how much with the director, but whenever Grant is supposed to be acting "angelic" he actually seems devilish -- especially his louche grinning and the wicked twinkle he gets in his eyes. The things that are so charming in other Grant films completely backfire here.
shareRemember, angels are NOT the sweet saccharine ladies you see painted on modern decor. They are sometimes fearful things: remember the angels guarding the Garden of Eden with swords! When the shepherds see the angels for the first time "they are sore afraid." You wouldn't be afraid of some cutesy-poo angel.
Dudley even says that many times he does dirty jobs.
I absolutely loved his portrayal of an angel. Watching several CG movies in a row, he really tones it down here and almost nearly removes the slightly annoying but ubiquitous Mid-Atlantic accent from films in those days. It took me a few scenes to get used to him as an angel, and I even went into the film not knowing he was an angel. I'm really delighted that I went into the film completely ignorant, it was a fun discovery.
I gave him the benefit of the doubt the entire time; I thought he was supposed to make Henry jealous. I kind of appreciated that they made the angel almost human by the end, that, indeed, an angel could potentially fall in love.
So really, I had absolutely no qualms with the film whatsoever. Girls practically threw themselves onto him from the start, and honestly, why wouldn't an angel be so charming?
http://imgur.com/zmJ4ZR4
I disagree completely. It was part of Dudley's mission to make the bishop jealous. And it worked. And if he really was an angel, he couldn't be a creep.
shareI don't suppose the OP is still around, but I don't mind being the only one here to agree with him/her. Not about the meaning of Dudley's actions, but his manipulative, condescending, self-righteous, smug and smarmy manner. That beatific smile seemed to have set solid on Grant's face during filming. Definitely asking for a sock in the jaw.
I don't suppose the OP is still around, but I don't mind being the only one here to agree with him/her. Not about the meaning of Dudley's actions, but his manipulative, condescending, self-righteous, smug and smarmy manner. That beatific smile seemed to have set solid on Grant's face during filming. Definitely asking for a sock in the jaw.
Extremely unpopular opinion but CG was miscast here.
share